Cam Newton threw three TDs, including the game-winner with about a minute left. / Jeremy Brevard, USA TODAY Sports

by Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports

by Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports

CHARLOTTE - Tom Brady's pass intended for tight end Rob Gronkowski on the final play of regulation was intercepted by Carolina Panthers safety Robert Lester in the end zone. But a flag for pass interference lay in the back of the end zone.

The New England Patriots momentarily thought they were going to have an untimed down from the 1-yard line. The officials, however, picked up the flag, ruling the foul was irrelevant since Lester picked off the pass before it reached the area where Gronkowski was and that the Patriots tight end was not in a position to compete for the ball.

But the final play that left many fans confused and the Patriots angry shouldn't take away from the dramatic fourth-quarter touchdown drive led by quarterback Cam Newton in the Panthers' 24-20 victory.

Newton trumped comeback master Brady at his specialty as the Carolina quarterback engineered the defining, last-minute comeback win of his three-year career.

Sure, it was Week 11 before a Monday night audience rather than on a Super Bowl stage.

But when Newton hit Ted Ginn, Jr. for a 25-yard touchdown that capped a 13-play, 83-yard drive and the defense stopped Brady on the final play, Newton and his 7-3 team announced their arrival as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

"The outside world will look at us different now," tight end Greg Olsen said. "It's as good a win as you can get right there on that stage against that team. To play the way Cam did in the clutch, that's big-time football.

"That's what makes him special. He played quarterback tonight. He didn't play magician, except for a couple of magic plays."

And what magic Newton provided, three times converting third-down situations with wild scrambles, including a 14-yarder in the third quarter that made five defenders miss and a 15-yard scramble on the winning drive.

"I hear all about the statistics about the game-winning drives of other quarterbacks, but now Cam has his against a worthy opponent," said receiver Steve Smith. "I just saw that young, 24-year-old Cam Newton shine through.

"This is just special."

How special?

Smith described the electric, playoff-like Bank of America Stadium atmosphere as addictive, prompting the Panthers, winners of six in a row to crave more big games.

Last Sunday's 10-9 road win against the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers proved to the Panthers they were capable of beating anyone, including Brady and his 7-3 Patriots.

"We made a statement as a team that we're for real," safety Mike Mitchell said. "This is two weeks in a row we've beaten good teams.

"It really solidified to the league, we aren't the same Panthers.

"This is a new day."

It looked like they might have left too much time for Brady to orchestrate his 39th career comeback when he got the football at his own 20-yard line with 59 seconds left.

When Brady hit tight end Gronkowski on a seam pass for 23 yards, it appeared another vintage comeback for the three-time Super Bowl winner was on. But on second-and-3 from the Carolina 18-yard line, Lester intercepted Brady's last-second pass intended for Gronkowski in the back of the end zone.

For a moment, the outcome was in doubt when back judge Greg Meyer threw a flag for pass interference against linebacker Luke Kuechly for not turning to defend the ball while blanketing Gronkowski. The Patriots momentarily thought they were going to have an untimed down from the 1-yard line. But the officials picked up the flag.

Referee Clete Blakeman told a pool reporter the flag was deemed irrelevant since Lester picked off the pass before it reached the area where Gronkowski was. Blakeman said Gronkowski was not in a position to compete for Brady's underthrown pass.

"I wish it wouldn't have come down to that," said Brady, who completed 29-of-40 passes for 296 yards with one touchdown and an interception. "I think there are plenty of plays we could have made.

"We can play better than that."

Newton might have played his finest game as a Panther, given the national stage and the opponent. The 2011 first overall pick out of Auburn finished with three passing touchdowns, threw for 209 yards and ran for 62 more yards on seven carries.

"It's not about me," Newton said. "People want to keep making it about myself and the plays that I made. I couldn't have done it without the guys who gave me the opportunities to make the plays.

"It's not a one-man show. Steve Smith made some catches. Ted Ginn made a play at the end. Our running backs kept blocking and kept running.

"All I have to do is give guys a chance and you see what happened."

Asked if it was the most satisfying win of his three-season career, Newton said, "The thing I'm most satisfied with right now is that we're 7-3."

Brady was one of Newton's quarterback idols growing up in College Park, Ga., where he had posters of Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and then-Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick on his bedroom wall.

So when Brady got the ball back he was nervous.

"I said it jokingly in the locker room, 'I've seen this story before. I've read this book before,' " Newton said. "Watching Tom Brady, the type of quarterback he is, methodical and being extremely deadly and battling all the way until the last play of the game was a very close call.